In the nineteenth century, French mathematician Evariste Galois developed the Galois theory of groups-one of the most penetrating concepts in modem mathematics. The elements of the theory are clearly presented in this second, revised edition of a volume of lectures delivered by noted mathematician Emil Artin. The book has been edited by Dr. Arthur N. Milgram, who has also supplemented the work with a Section on Applications.
The first section deals with linear algebra, including fields, vector spaces, homogeneous linear equations, determinants, and other topics. A second section considers extension fields, polynomials, algebraic elements, splitting fields, group characters, normal extensions, roots of unity, Noether equations, Jummer's fields, and more.
Dr. Milgram's section on applications discusses solvable groups, permutation groups, solution of equations by radicals, and other concepts.

This fifth entry in the highly acclaimed Math Girls series focuses on the mathematics of Évariste Galois, the nineteenth-century wunderkind who revolutionized mathematics with work he performed while still a teenager. Mathematicians before him had discovered solutions to general second-, third-, and fourth-degree equations, but a similar quintic formula that would allow knowing the solutions to any fifth-degree equation had eluded mathematicians for centuries. Through his ingenious approach of bridging the worlds of groups and fields, young Galois not only showed that such a formula was impossible, he newly developed group theory and the branch of mathematics that today bears his name. Join Miruka and friends to see how Galois developed his theory, along with related topics such as geometric constructions and the angle trisection problem, derivation of the cubic formula, reducible and irreducible polynomials, group theory and field theory, symmetric polynomials, roots of unity, sets and cosets, cyclotomic polynomials, vector spaces, extension fields, and symmetric groups. The book concludes with a tour through Galois's first paper, in which he describes for the first time the necessary and sufficient conditions for a polynomial to be algebraically solved using radicals. Math Girls 5: Galois Theory has something for anyone interested in mathematics, from advanced high school to college students and educators.

This introductory exposition of group theory by an eminent Russian mathematician is particularly suited to undergraduates, developing material of fundamental importance in a clear and rigorous fashion. The treatment is also useful as a review for more advanced students with some background in group theory.
Beginning with introductory examples of the group concept, the text advances to considerations of groups of permutations, isomorphism, cyclic subgroups, simple groups of movements, invariant subgroups, and partitioning of groups. An appendix provides elementary concepts from set theory. A wealth of simple examples, primarily geometrical, illustrate the primary concepts. Exercises at the end of each chapter provide additional reinforcement.

This book shows how well-known methods of angular momentum algebra can be extended to treat other Lie groups. Chapters cover isospin, the three-dimensional harmonic oscillator, Young diagrams, more. 1966 edition.

This informative survey chronicles the process of abstraction that ultimately led to the axiomatic formulation of the abstract notion of group. Hans Wussing, former Director of the Karl Sudhoff Institute for the History of Medicine and Science at Leipzig University, contradicts the conventional thinking that the roots of the abstract notion of group lie strictly in the theory of algebraic equations. Wussing declares their presence in the geometry and number theory of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
This survey ranges from the works of Lagrange via Cauchy, Abel, and Galois to those of Serret and Camille Jordan. It then turns to Cayley, to Felix Klein's Erlangen Program, and to Sophus Lie, concluding with a sketch of the state of group theory circa 1920, when the axiom systems of Webber were formalized and investigated in their own right.
It is a pleasure to turn to Wussing's book, a sound presentation of history, observed the Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society, noting that Wussing always gives enough detail to let us understand what each author was doing, and the book could almost serve as a sampler of nineteenth-century algebra. The bibliography is extremely good, and the prose is sometimes pleasantly epigrammatic.

The most effective way to study any branch of mathematics is to tackle its problems. This wide-ranging anthology offers a straightforward approach, with 431 challenging problems in all phases of group theory, from elementary to the most advanced.
The problems are arranged in eleven chapters: subgroups, permutation groups, automorphisms and finitely generated Abelian groups, normal series, commutators and derived series, solvable and nilpotent groups, the group ring and monomial representations, Frattini subgroup, factorization, linear groups, and representations and characters. Each chapter features a preface of pertinent definitions and theorems, and full solutions appear in a separate section.
Most of these problems are derived from research papers published since 1950 (a listing of 102 references is supplied). This compilation makes them readily accessible as a supplement to courses in group theory. The presentation places equal emphasis on techniques and results, encouraging the development of both skill and comprehension.

The book is a pleasure to read. There is no question but that it will become, and deserves to be, a widely used textbook and reference. -- Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society.
Character theory provides a powerful tool for proving theorems about finite groups. In addition to dealing with techniques for applying characters to pure group theory, a large part of this book is devoted to the properties of the characters themselves and how these properties reflect and are reflected in the structure of the group.
Chapter I consists of ring theoretic preliminaries. Chapters 2 to 6 and 8 contain the basic material of character theory, while Chapter 7 treats an important technique for the application of characters to group theory. Chapter 9 considers irreducible representations over arbitrary fields, leading to a focus on subfields of the complex numbers in Chapter 10. In Chapter 15 the author introduces Brauer's theory of blocks and modular characters. Remaining chapters deal with more specialized topics, such as the connections between the set of degrees of the irreducible characters and structure of a group. Following each chapter is a selection of carefully thought out problems, including exercises, examples, further results and extensions and variations of theorems in the text.
Prerequisites for this book are some basic finite group theory: the Sylow theorems, elementary properties of permutation groups and solvable and nilpotent groups. Also useful would be some familiarity with rings and Galois theory. In short, the contents of a first-year graduate algebra course should be sufficient preparation.

This book studies dihedral groups, dicyclic groups, other finite subgroups of the 3-dimensional sphere, and the 2-fold extensions of the symmetric group on 4 letters from the point of view of decorated string diagrams of permutations. These are our metaphorical quipu. As you might expect, the book is replete with illustrations. In (almost) all cases, explicit diagrams for the elements of the group are given. The exception is the binary icosahedral group in which only the generators and relations are exhibited.

This book provides a gentle introduction to the study of arithmetic subgroups of semisimple Lie groups. This means that the goal is to understand the group SL(n, Z) and certain of its subgroups. Among the major results discussed in the later chapters are the Mostow Rigidity Theorem, the Margulis Superrigidity Theorem, Ratner's Theorems, and the classification of arithmetic subgroups of classical groups. As background for the proofs of these theorems, the book provides primers on lattice subgroups, arithmetic groups, real rank and Q-rank, ergodic theory, unitary representations, amenability, Kazhdan's property (T), and quasi-isometries. Numerous exercises enhance the book's usefulness both as a textbook for a second-year graduate course and for self-study. In addition, notes at the end of each chapter have suggestions for further reading. (Proofs in this book often consider only an illuminating special case.) Readers are expected to have some acquaintance with Lie groups, but appendices briefly review the prerequisite background. A PDF file of the book is available on the internet. This inexpensive printed edition is for readers who prefer a hardcopy.

This book contains surveys and research articles on the state-of-the-art in finitely presented groups for researchers and graduate students. Overviews of current trends in exponential groups and of the classification of finite triangle groups and finite generalized tetrahedron groups are complemented by new results on a conjecture of Rosenberger and an approximation theorem. A special emphasis is on algorithmic techniques and their complexity, both for finitely generated groups and for finite Z-algebras, including explicit computer calculations highlighting important classical methods. A further chapter surveys connections to mathematical logic, in particular to universal theories of various classes of groups, and contains new results on countable elementary free groups. Applications to cryptography include overviews of techniques based on representations of p-groups and of non-commutative group actions. Further applications of finitely generated groups to topology and artificial intelligence complete the volume. All in all, leading experts provide up-to-date overviews and current trends in combinatorial group theory and its connections to cryptography and other areas.

Here is a unique pedagogical textbook by the gifted Professor Mildred Dresselhaus. It first provides a quick introduction to the theoretical background, the first four chapters which can be covered in six to eight classroom hours. From there, each chapter develops new theory while introducing applications so that students can best retain new concepts, build on concepts learned the previous week, and see interrelations between topics as presented. Essential problem sets between the chapters also aid the retention of the new material and for the consolidation of material learned in previous chapters. The text and problem sets provide a useful springboard for the application of the basic material presented here to topics in semiconductor physics and the physics of carbon-based nanostructures.

Well-organized and clearly written, this undergraduate-level text covers most of the standard basic theorems in group theory, providing proofs of the basic theorems of both finite and infinite groups and developing as much of their superstructure as space permits. Contents include: Isomorphism Theorems, Direct Sums, p-Groups and p-Subgroups, Free Groups and Free Products, Permutation Groups, Transformations and Subgroups, Abelian Groups, Supersolvable Groups, Extensions, Representations, and more.
The concluding chapters also cover a wide variety of further theorems, some not previously published in book form, including infinite symmetric and alternating groups, products of subgroups, the multiplicative group of a division ring, and FC groups.
Over 500 exercises in varying degrees of difficulty enable students to test their grasp of the material, which is largely self-contained (except for later chapters which presuppose some knowledge of linear algebra, polynomials, algebraic integers, and elementary number theory). Also included are a bibliography, index, and an index of notation.
Ideal as a text or for reference, this inexpensive paperbound edition of Group Theory offers mathematics students a lucid, highly useful introduction to an increasingly vital mathematical discipline. It will be welcomed by anyone in search of a cogent, thorough presentation that lends itself equally well to self-study or regular course work.

This book provides a gentle introduction to the study of arithmetic subgroups of semisimple Lie groups. This means that the goal is to understand the group SL(n, Z) and certain of its subgroups. Among the major results discussed in the later chapters are the Mostow Rigidity Theorem, the Margulis Superrigidity Theorem, Ratner's Theorems, and the classification of arithmetic subgroups of classical groups. As background for the proofs of these theorems, the book provides primers on lattice subgroups, arithmetic groups, real rank and Q-rank, ergodic theory, unitary representations, amenability, Kazhdan's property (T), and quasi-isometries. Numerous exercises enhance the book's usefulness both as a textbook for a second-year graduate course and for self-study. In addition, notes at the end of each chapter have suggestions for further reading. (Proofs in this book often consider only an illuminating special case.) Readers are expected to have some acquaintance with Lie groups, but appendices briefly review the prerequisite background. A PDF file of the book is available on the internet. This inexpensive printed edition is for readers who prefer a hardcopy.

This handbook on group theory is geared toward chemists and experimental physicists who use spectroscopy and require knowledge of the electronic structures of the materials they investigate. Accessible to undergraduate students, it takes an elementary approach to many of the key concepts. Rather than the deductive method common to books on mathematics and theoretical physics, the present volume introduces fundamental concepts with simple examples, relating them to specific chemical and physical problems.
The text is centered on detailed analysis of examples. Since neither chemists nor spectroscopists require theorem proofs, very few appear here. Instead, the focus remains on the principal conclusions, their meaning, and their use. In keeping with the text's practical bias, the main results of group theory are presented in all sections as procedures, making possible their systematic and step-by-step-application. Each chapter contains problems that develop practical skill and provide a valuable supplement to the text.

This updated and revised edition of David Joyner's entertaining hands-on tour of group theory and abstract algebra brings life, levity, and practicality to the topics through mathematical toys.

Joyner uses permutation puzzles such as the Rubik's Cube and its variants, the 15 puzzle, the Rainbow Masterball, Merlin's Machine, the Pyraminx, and the Skewb to explain the basics of introductory algebra and group theory. Subjects covered include the Cayley graphs, symmetries, isomorphisms, wreath products, free groups, and finite fields of group theory, as well as algebraic matrices, combinatorics, and permutations.

Featuring strategies for solving the puzzles and computations illustrated using the SAGE open-source computer algebra system, the second edition of Adventures in Group Theory is perfect for mathematics enthusiasts and for use as a supplementary textbook.

In this book, Pierre de la Harpe provides a concise and engaging introduction to geometric group theory, a new method for studying infinite groups via their intrinsic geometry that has played a major role in mathematics over the past two decades. A recognized expert in the field, de la Harpe adopts a hands-on approach, illustrating key concepts with numerous concrete examples.

The first five chapters present basic combinatorial and geometric group theory in a unique and refreshing way, with an emphasis on finitely generated versus finitely presented groups. In the final three chapters, de la Harpe discusses new material on the growth of groups, including a detailed treatment of the Grigorchuk group. Most sections are followed by exercises and a list of problems and complements, enhancing the book's value for students; problems range from slightly more difficult exercises to open research problems in the field. An extensive list of references directs readers to more advanced results as well as connections with other fields.

An important addition to the mathematical literature ... contains very interesting results not available in other books; written in a plain and clear style, it reads very smoothly. -- Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society
This concise study was the first book to bring together material on the theory of nonassociative algebras, which had previously been scattered throughout the literature. It emphasizes algebras that are, for the most part, finite-dimensional over a field. Written as an introduction for graduate students and other mathematicians meeting the subject for the first time, the treatment's prerequisites include an acquaintance with the fundamentals of abstract and linear algebra.
After an introductory chapter, the book explores arbitrary nonassociative algebras and alternative algebras. Subsequent chapters concentrate on Jordan algebras and power-associative algebras. Throughout, an effort has been made to present the basic ideas, techniques, and flavor of what happens when the associative law is not assumed. Many of the proofs are given in complete detail.

One of the central highlights of this work is the exploration of the Yoneda lemma and its profound implications, during which intuitive explanations are provided, as well as detailed proofs, and specific examples. This book covers aspects of category theory often considered advanced in a clear and intuitive way, with rigorous mathematical proofs. It investigates universal properties, coherence, the relationship between categories and graphs, and treats monads and comonads on an equal footing, providing theorems, interpretations and concrete examples. Finally, this text contains an introduction to monoidal categories and to strong and commutative monads, which are essential tools in current research but seldom found in other textbooks.Starting Category Theory serves as an accessible and comprehensive introduction to the fundamental concepts of category theory. Originally crafted as lecture notes for an undergraduate course, it has been developed to be equally well-suited for individuals pursuing self-study. Most crucially, it deliberately caters to those who are new to category theory, not requiring readers to have a background in pure mathematics, but only a basic understanding of linear algebra.

Symmetry is an immensely important concept in mathematics and throughout the sciences. In this Very Short Introduction, Ian Stewart demonstrates symmetry's deep implications, showing how it even plays a major role in the current search to unify relativity and quantum theory. Stewart, a respected mathematician as well as a widely known popular-science and science-fiction writer, brings to this volume his deep knowledge of the subject and his gift for conveying science to general readers with clarity and humor. He describes how symmetry's applications range across the entire field of mathematics and how symmetry governs the structure of crystals, innumerable types of pattern formation, and how systems change their state as parameters vary. Symmetry is also highly visual, with applications that include animal markings, locomotion, evolutionary biology, elastic buckling, waves, the shape of the Earth, and the form of galaxies. Fundamental physics is governed by symmetries in the laws of nature--Einstein's point that the laws should be the same at all locations and all times.

About the Series:

Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.

1. Rudiments of Group Theory.- 1. Review.- 2. Automorphisms.- 3. Group Actions.- 2. The General Linear Group.- 4. Basic Structure.- 5. Parabolic Subgroups.- 6. The Special Linear Group.- 3. Local Structure.- 7. Sylow's Theorem.- 8. Finite p-groups.- 9. The Schur-Zassenhaus Theorem.- 4. Normal Structure.- 10. Composition Series.- 11. Solvable Groups.- 5. Semisimple Algebras.- 12. Modules and Representations.- 13. Wedderburn Theory.- 6. Group Representations.- 14. Characters.- 15. The Character Table.- 16. Induction.- Appendix: Algebraic Integers and Characters.- List of Notation.